Basket-crate.



No. 730,153. v PATENTED JUNE 2,1905% A L B. PORTER.

v BASKET CRATE. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 17. 1993.

NO MODEL. 2 BHEETS S HBET 2.

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UNITED STATES iatented .Tune 2, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO B. PORTER, or GRAND RAPIDS, MIOHIGAN.

BASKET-CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 730,153, dated June 2, 1903.

Application filed January 1'7, 1903. Serial No. 139.481. (No model.) 7

To all" whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALONZO B. PORTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Basket-Grates, of which theporting a basket upon the crate, so that a series of baskets thus crated may be packed one above the other; second, to furnish a cratewhich may be partially taken apart and packed together in a close space; third, to form a crate which may be folded; fourth, to form a crate simple and eflicient in construction and of sufficient strength to support any reasonable amount of weight placed thereon. These objects I accomplish by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a plan View of a crate complete with the top pieces in position, the standard being shown by dotted lines. Fig. 2 shows a side elevation. Fig. 3 shows the base detached and partially folded. shows a detail'of one of the standards. Fig. 5 shows a side elevation of a crate with a basket placed therein, together with a portion of a superposed crate placed above and supported by the lower crate. Fig. 6 shows a detail of one of the cross-supporting strips on an enlarged scale.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several Views.

a, b, c, and (1 show the four strips which make the base of the crate; The strips a and c are the undermost strips, and d and b the uppermost of the base-strips. I-Ioles are bored through these strips, which are shown by 'm, at, t, and a. The standards g, h, i, and j have their ends turned, so as to fit into the 50 holes in the base, and I prefer to use a nail through the lower base-strips into the lower Fig. 4-

ends of the standards or posts. These standards or posts are shown by g, h, t', and j.

The upper and the lower ends of the standards are rounded, so as to fit into the holes in the base and in the cross-pieces. The crosspieces are shown by e and f and the holes in the cross-pieces are shown by 0, p. r, and s.

In Fig. 4, 0 and m show the form of finishing the ends of the standards or posts. The

- standards or posts form pivots at the corners of the base.

When a crate is placed above another crate, the base-pieces a and 0 rest upon the crosspiece f, while the upper cross-pieces d and?) will rest upon the upper cross-piece 6, thus giving a firm seat for a crate carrying a basket and placed above another crate. In packing the crates the cross-strips c and f are taken off, andsthe crates may then be packed or nested,

ards may be folded, a base partially folded being shown in Fig. It will be understood, however, that this base maybe folded much closer than is shown in the drawings. I have found that a crate constructed as above described will stand firmly and rigidly and that a series of crates each carrying a basket may be piled one upon the other without endangering the fruit in the basket, said crates being a perfect protection to the basket and fruit,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim to have invented, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1'. A crate comprising in its construction a base, top and sides, said base consisting of four members arranged in pairs, one pair of members superposed upon the other pair of to have its lower ends extend through two of the registering openings of two of said base members for connecting the members forming the base together, and each of said side members adapted to have its upper end engage in 70 or, if desired, the base with the posts or standone of the openings in a top member for connecting the members forming the top to the members forming the bottom.

2. A crate comprising in its construction a base, top and sides, said base consisting of four members arranged in pairs, one pair of members superposed upon the other pair of members and each pair of members provided with openings, the openings of one pair registering with the openings of the other pair, said top consisting of two members extending diagonally in opposite directions and one superposed upon the other, each of said diagonally-extending members provided with end openings, said top members being of greater length than said base members, and said sides consisting of four upwardly-extending and outwardly-inclined members, each of said side members adapted to have its lower end extend through two of the registering openings of two of said base members for connecting the members forming the base together,

the other pair of members, a top formed of a pairof superposed members, and sides consisting of a plurality of detachable standards extending through the bottom members for connecting them together and suitably engaging in the top members for connecting the latter with the bottom.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALONZO B. PORTER.

Witnesses CHARLES M. \VILSON, MARY S. TOOKER. 

